Recently, various electronic devices (for example, a personal computer and a television) provided with a camera module have been frequently used. The camera module can be incorporated in an electronic device in advance, alternatively can be externally mounted on the electronic device. In both cases, the camera module provided in/mounted on the electronic device can shoot a high-definition image (static image and moving image).
The electronic device provided with the camera module not only shoots an image but also frequently sends the image to a specific recipient through the Internet or distributes the image to unspecific recipients through the Internet. Further, the following mechanism has been proposed. The electronic device (particularly, a television) simultaneously transmits not only the image but also sounds through the Internet, so as to be utilized as a so-called TV phone. It has been expected that such an electronic device is in further widespread use in the future.
Various electronic devices provided with a sensor for detecting a human body approaching have been frequently used. The sensor detects a human body approaching, and sends an electric signal to an internal device included in the electronic device. The internal device decodes the electronic signal, and then sends an operation instruction to the electronic device. The electronic device is operated according to the operation instruction. Utilization of such a sensor for detecting a human body approaching allows a user to operate the electronic device without carrying out any special operations.
The utilization of the sensor for detecting a human body approaching allows low power consumption of the electronic device (for example, in a case where the sensor does not detect a human body approaching to the electronic device, display lightness of the electronic device is decreased or the electronic device is turned off).
The above-described function of shooting a high-definition image and function of detecting a human body approaching are shooting and detecting functions to be provided to the electronic device. It is accordingly considered that an electronic device having the above two functions will be eagerly required in the feature.
In order to meet the requirement, a camera module capable of shooting a high-definition image and a sensor dedicated to detection of a human body are not individually provided, but the following arrangement is possibly required. The camera module capable of shooting a high-definition image also serves as the sensor for detecting a human body.
Meanwhile, it is concerned that, in a case where the camera module capable of shooting a high-definition image is used as the sensor for detecting a human body with a resolution of the camera module, a general user is anxious about (i) when the camera module shoots an image and (ii) whether or not the image leaks out through the Internet.
In order to cause the general user to accept the arrangement, it is inevitable that (i) a user is incompletely identified in cases other than a case where the user intentionally shoots an image and (ii) a resolution necessary for detection of a human body is obtained.
That is, the high-definition image needs to have a resolution (i) from which the user is incompletely identified and (ii) which is necessary for detection of a human body.
In order to decrease a resolution of an image, for example, the following techniques are generally employed. Pixels adjacent to a sensor are binned to form a macro pixel, so that the resolution of the image is decreased. Alternatively, an image is compressed or blurred by a signal processing section.
However, in a case where the camera module of the present invention is employed as above, virus infection of the electronic device will possibly cause failure in the function of shooting a high-definition image and the function of detecting a human body approaching. Therefore, these techniques are not suitable for decreasing the resolution of the image shot by the camera module of the present invention.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique for creating and outputting image data, specifically, a camera module connected to a network, including (i) creation means for creating image data having a high resolution and image data having a low resolution, (ii) a detector for detecting an importance of an object of shooting, and (iii) means for selecting, according to an output from the detector, any one of the image data having the high resolution and the image data having the low resolution so as to output selected image data to the network.
Patent Literature 1 discloses an example of utilization of the function of detecting a human body approaching, specifically, a technique of a television receiver which includes a sensor for detecting a human body approaching and which is turned on/off in a case where the sensor detects the human body approaching.
A general technique includes a technique in which a camera module provided in an electronic device displays, by use of, for example, an LED, that a user is shooting an image.